Smith editorializes in his next sentence: "Think about that the next time someone tells you Microsoft doesn't have a future." He wrote an excellent public relations piece for the company.

Just as I do not question the coolness or genius of Google's driverless car, I appreciate Microsoft tinkering with futuristic touchscreens, interactive 3-D models and robots that play catch. I love that stuff; however, we already know that Microsoft, somewhere beneath its uninspiring veneer, had some hip in it.

If you kick the tires at all, you know this. Back in June a Reuters story about how excited young interns are to work summers at Microsoft made the rounds. Among this set, the company apparently ranks cooler than Facebook (FB) and almost as desirable as Google.

Facebook innovated by displaying your Facebook email address as your primary one and hiding all others.

Facebook innovated by putting more ads in your news stream.

Jackson's not alone. The lack of innovation coming from tech, particularly Silicon Valley, has people talking. As Francisco Dao illustrates at PandoDaily, they're not being nice:

From Peter Thiel's lament that "they promised us flying cars but instead we got 140 characters" to Michael Arrington's latest complaint that he's bored with what currently passes for innovation, there is a growing chorus of people voicing their disappointment with Silicon Valley's inability to push the envelope.

Theil's being a bit of a ding-dong there -- Twitter is worthy innovation -- but I catch his drift. Even Willis would know what he's talking about.

Microsoft has all of this awesome stuff percolating in labs staffed by small teams and pumped-up interns, but what does it have to show for it? What does it bring to market?